Safety attachment for cars.



No. 714,312. Patented Nov. 25, l9fl12.,

B. LONG.

SAFETY ATTACHMENT FUR CARS.

(Application filed Apr. 29, 1902.)

(No Model.)

m: nonms PETERS cm. Puoraummwasnmuwu. u. 0.,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. BARNETT LONG, OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE- I-IALF TO MAX ROBINSON, OF MARTINSBURG, WEST VIRGINIA.

SAFETYATTACHMENT FOR CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 714,312, dated November 25, 1902.

Application filed April 29,1902.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, BARNETT LONG, a citizen of the United States, residing at Martinsburg, in the county of Berkeley and State of West Virginia, have invented a new and useful Safety Attachment for Cars, of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to safety attachments for cars.

The object of the present invention is to provide a simple andicomparatively inexpensive device designed to be applied to freightcars of all kinds and adapted to practically cover the space between cars to prevent a person should he lose his hold upon a. car from falling between the same to the track and being killed or otherwise injured. 1 l A further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character of great strength and durability adapted to yield to the vibration of the cars and capable of forming a safety-platform at the bottom ofthe carbodies.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a reverse plan view of a portion of a car provided with safety attachments constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in both figures of the drawings. l 1 designate approximately rectangular frames slidably mounted beneath a car-body 2 and projecting outward beyond the same and adapted to partially cover the space between two cars when the same are coupled to form a safety platform or device to catch a person and prevent him from falling between years to the track should he lose his hold upon a car. The frames,which may be constructed of any suitable material, are slidably arranged in transverse supports 3 and 4, located at the end of the car and at a point slightly in rear of the same, and each frame is preferably composed of a marginal rod 5 and a series of intermediate longitudinal rods 6,which are connected at their rear ends by a transverse bar Serial No. 105,199. (No model.)

'7. The marginal rod is composed of sides and a transverse front portion, and the intermediate rods are provided at their front ends with eyes to receive the transverse portion of the marginal rod, and the rear ends of the intermediate rods and the terminals of the marginal rod are secured to the rear end bar 7 in suitable perforations thereof.

Each transverse support consists of a rod having its body portion spaced from the bothas its ends arranged on and secured to front and rear plugs 9 and 10, as clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings. The front plug is provided with a shank 11,which is secured in the end sill of the car, and the other plug hasan enlarged rear end or head l2,which is secured by a bolt 13 or other suitable fastening device to the center of the inner end bar 7. The springs are secu red to the front and rear plugs by suitable fastening devices 14 and 15, passing transversely through the springs and through the plugs; but any other suitable means may be employed for elfecting this attachment. The frames project outward beyond the bumpers of a car and cover the space between two coupled cars, and thereby form a safety-platform for catching a person should he lose his hold upon either car and fall. These frames will prevent a person from falling between the cars to the track, and they are capable of longitudinal movement to yield to any vibration or play of the cars, and they will not be injured through such longitudinal movement of the car-bodies.

It will be seen that the safety device is exceedingly simple and inexpensive in construction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and that it is adapted to be readily applied to a car. It will also be clear that the safety device forms a platform or guard at each side of the draw-head and is adapted to catch a person and prevent him from being run over or otherwise injured.

What I claim is- 1. In adevice of the class described, the combination with a car, of a frame or plat form slidably arranged beneath the car and extending beyond the same, an outer plug secured to the car, an inner plug mounted on the frame or platform at the inner end thereof, and a coiled spring receiving the plugs and secured to the same, substantially as described.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination with a car, of a frame or platform slidably mounted on the car and extending beyond the same, a front plug having a shank secured to the car, a rear plug having a head secured to the frame or platform at the inner or rear portion thereof, and a coiled spring receiving the plugs and secured to the same and yieldably holding the frame or platform in its extended position, substantially as described.

3. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a car, of transverse rods so cured beneath the car and forming guides, a slidable platform or frame supported by the rods and extending beyond the car, a front plug having a shank secured to the car, a rear plug having an enlarged head secured to the frame or platform, and a coiled spring receiving the plugs and secured to the same and normally holding the frame or platform in its extended position, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

BARNETT LONG.

Witnesses:

JOHN J. LITTLE, A. O. EMBREY. 

